3 Paardekens - City Centre Hotel

We chose 3-Paardekens for being close to the Grote Markt, and that was really the only thing that set it apart. Room 102 was clean and fine for a single night, though it had just the basics. The breakfast was reasonable, nothing memorable; for a better one, you'd be better off finding a lunchroom in town. The digital check-in link gave us access to the lobby and room, but it stopped working the next morning and locked me out. Luckily, I'd shared it with my wife, so we could still get to our room. There was no staff in the lobby, and the people we saw at breakfast seemed focused on themselves rather than guests. We didn't find the famed Flemish warmth here. It's an anonymous, unremarkable place for a night, best suited to someone who needs to be right by the historic centre.

At 20:20 there was no concierge, and the self-entry link wasn't working. The service was impolite too. That's an unacceptable situation for a hotel. What can I say, maybe they should close it.

The bathroom showers were especially worrying, and the broader state of the place made me question whether basic hygiene is being taken seriously. I saw bacteria, mold, and rust around the premises, along with dead bugs, wall smudges, and skirting boards deteriorating from moisture. Towels were left on windowsills with black mold and against rusty windows, which looked bad and seemed like a health risk. These aren't new complaints, judging by the negative reviews over the past four years, and I saw no sign that meaningful action had been taken. The problems suggest poor attention to routine maintenance and a wider failure to keep basic hygiene standards. They need to review maintenance procedures, find the causes, and bring the place up to minimum standards so guests can be safe and satisfied. I expect I'll get a generic reply promising to fix things in the future. Replies like that leave guests with nothing and still out of pocket.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, but there was no air conditioning. You get in through an email link rather than a room key. Nobody was at reception, though phone support was available.